A very good day, Kathryn—may I call you Kathryn? I am most
gratified that my author, Mr Scott Tarbet of the United States, has introduced
us. As he has told you, my name is Miss Pauline Spiegel. I make my home in
Princes Gate Mews, Knightsbridge, London, with my father, Ernst, Artificer to
Her Majesty, Queen Victoria. I am a recent graduate of the Sorbonne, where I
studied mechanical engineering, in furtherance of my apprenticeship with my
father. I hope someday to inherit his artificer shoppe, the Golden Gear, whose
mechanical confections delight the eye and mind of the cream of London, Berlin,
and St Petersburg society. We undertake commissions for patrons royal and
otherwise from around the world.

As you can see from the graduation portrait painted of me by
delightful artist Egle Zioma, in appearance I am willowy, almost slight, not
endowed with the blond good looks and feminine wiles of my childhood friend
Clementine Hozier. My complexion is olive, my hair chestnut in color, and most
difficult to tame, all the more so because of my penchant for riding abroad, on
steeds both flesh and mechanical. In this I am frequently joined by my suitor,
Mr Alexander MacIntyre, a secretary in Her Majesty’s household.

2.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

As I mentioned, I do enjoy riding, and walking in nearby
Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park with Alex and Clemmie, and punting on the
Thames and the Serpentine. I am, however, most enchanted by my work with
automata and miniatures, and spend the majority of my time, both leisure and
working, at this pursuit.

3.

What is your favorite color and why?

I am told that carnelian is the color that suits me best,
though I could not begin to say why that is. I pay scant attention to matters
of style, and rely on Clemmie’s advice in matters of wardrobe and ensemble.

4.

What is your favorite food? Why is it your
favorite?

I have a particular fondness for kirschtorte, stemming, I
think, from my childhood. My mother, in addition to her considerable
attainments as an artificer in her own right, was an extraordinarily adept
self-taught cook and baker. It seemed that cooking for my father and me took
her heart back to her childhood in Bavaria.

5.

What would you say is your biggest quirk?

Oh law! I am chagrined to admit that I am most stubborn. Especially
in matters mechanical, I will bulldog a challenge until I conquer it. This also
manifests, I am afraid, in my relationship with my dear Papa, who more than
matches me for native Germanic stubbornness. He is not enthusiastic about my
attachment to Alex, insisting instead on an ancient (from before I was born)
promise of marriage between me and the heir of the Spencer Churchill family,
young Winston.

6.

What is it about your antagonist that irks you
the most, and why? Share a line in the book where this irk is manifested.

Irk me! Law! Disgust, you might better say. Recalling the
circumstances of my first meeting with my antagonist, Jack, remains quite
distressing to me. His status of mere lackey to Dr Oberon Malieux excuses him
and his actions not at all, any more than Dr Malieux’s subservience to Kaiser
Wilhelm excuse his. Filthy, disgusting, cruel individual, this Jack.

I give you the following excerpt from Mr Tarbet’s telling of
my adventures to illustrate:

As she watched, from slots in the forearms
of the taller mech, long, razor-sharp bayonets sprang open. “You know, Bill,”
he said conversationally to his companion, “I don’t recall nothing in the
orders about not having a little fun with her before we takes her back.”

The shorter Enforcer snorted. “Jack,
you’re just sorry you been refitted below the waist and can’t have fun with her
the way you liked to before they put you in the madhouse.” He ground his
mechanical hips at Pauline and flicked his fleshy tongue.

“Too right!” responded Jack. “She would
have squealed so much better! But this will be fun enough for all of that.” His
laugh became a high-pitched giggle.

There was the distinctive sound of the
pump action of a shotgun chambering a round as a long barrel dropped forward
from Bill’s chest, leveling itself at Pauline like a pointing finger. “I’ll
hold her still for you. Just don’t cut her so deep she bleeds to death before
the doctor has his chance with her. And don’t even think of taking no bits of
her as souvenirs. Mayhap if you’re lucky, he’ll let us have her when he’s
done.”

7.

What or who means the most to you in your life?
What, if anything, would you do to keep him/her/it in your life?

Beyond doubt this must be my Alex. My heart is fixed upon
him. I hope to share the rest of my life with him, in every way and in every
circumstance. I dearly hope that my sweet Papa can be persuaded, and that I
will not have to defy him.

8.

What one thing would you like readers to know
about you that may not be spelled out in the book in which you inhabit?

I would like your readers to know how fond I have become of
Mr Tarbet in the process of telling him my story, and of him writing it down
for others to see. He has become a second father to me. He speaks of me as he
would a beloved daughter.

9.

If you could tell your writer (creator) anything
about yourself that might turn the direction of the plot, what would it be?

There is very little about my past that I could tell him
that he does not already know. He also knows a great deal about my adventures
that follow those told in AMNS. I
look forward to working closely with him to tell more of that story.

Ask me any question. I’ve always wanted to know
what a character thinks about writers like myself. I’ll answer the question at
the end of this interview.

Question for Me:

There is a great deal of pain evident in A River of Stones. Do you know this pain
first hand, or do you write from your imagination? Does it feel like opening a
wound, or more like sewing one closed?

Love this question. Yes, A River of Stones is based somewhat on my life growing up and my parents divorcing and my mother remarrying. Although the story is fiction, thoughts and feelings of this time in my own life are revealed through the main character, Samantha. How does a young girl feel about the divorce of her parents? How does it feel when another man wins the heart of her mother? Does she feel as if she's partially to blame for the separation of her parents, and how does she deal with the loss of a father? Does she withdraw? Strike out? Pretend everything is cozy when it's not?

Monday, August 29, 2016

Ever feel as if there is no time on Monday to do what you love most?I feel it, too. After all of the wash, the picking up after the weekend, the phone calls and emails (I rarely check my emails over the weekend) you could just say I 'm aching to write.Are you?Discouragement can come easily, especially when we feel like there's too much to do and not enough time to do it all.So don't.Don't do it all.Do what's necessary today, and leave the rest for tomorrow.And write!

Thursday, August 25, 2016

Used to be, self-published authors were looked at with a wary, squinty eye.No more.Or at least, rarely.There are still those moments, but things have changed. The best news is that though some retail book stores still take issue with self-published authors, and even some libraries, there's still an entire arena of folks who are open to self-published authors and the books they produce.Being self-published takes guts, and I love that. These authors not only have to know how to write their books, they need to find a good editor, beta readers before that, know how to market, get out of their comfort zone and do speaking engagements. They must - backing up - know what makes a great cover and how to glean fans through social media and one-on-one exposure.Though the traditionally published author must put their best foot forward, the intricacies of publishing are frankly, missing from the page. Much is done for them and though much is still expected from their publishing house, they don't carry near the burdens and opportunities as an author who has been self-published. I should know. I have experienced both.I love the fact that I can choose my book's cover and layout. That I can decide on my book's price, and don't have to check back 'home' before I take a step forward in a creative direction. I love it that I can make up to 70% on each of my books over maybe 12% with a traditional publisher. And I love POD publishing, where I can order the copies I wish at one time: one, ten, or a hundred. I don't have to order a thousand books and have them sitting in my basement. I can buy as I need books.Who wouldn't want that luxury?I realize, of course, that there are authors out there fishing for traditional publishing, and my thumb is up for them, because, after all, we're all unique.There are authors that choose not to worry over many of the options mentioned above. It's hard enough just to write the book, without thinking about everything else. But I'm glad I'm now a self-published author, and that I can assist other authors who want to be self-published on their book journey.I can't think of anything greater.Kathryn

It's that time again to start thinking about the holidays. No kidding.Come September, the rush is on to get those books out for holiday sales. Do you want to be a part of the rush? Let me know and I'll set up an author and/or a character interview with you.So far, everything is scheduled out until October 10th, so anything after that is fair game. I usually post interviews on Monday's and Wednesday's with a Friday Flicks segment on, you guessed it, Friday's.A am looking for authors in various genres to spotlight. Please send me an email at: kathy@ariverofstones.com and we'll discuss when we can place you. Things will be getting busy. Why not get your interview ready before the rush?Thanks!Kathryn

Monday, August 22, 2016

This past Saturday I needed a break. Things were very busy with my sister in town and because of all the planned family events, it was just nice to sit back and enjoy some music.

Granted, I was sitting on the lawn section and Josh Groban looked about as tall as my pinky finger, but the experience was heavenly. This is my third Groban concert to date and I loved being outside and listening to the music only Josh can send.

So, if you're feeling a big overwhelmed, a bit behind the eight ball, a bit stressed, take a few moments to just dream...

I’m a 68 year old
introvert with marketing issues. I’ve always preferred letting others stand in
the spot light which makes showing off my work difficult. I’m still working on
that problem.

I’ve always been
involved with writing in one fashion or another most of my life. I did some
guest articles in my high school’s student paper, wrote what is now considered
flash fiction for my mother’s various social clubs (she read them out loud, not
me—I wasn’t fortunate enough to get her social genes—just her allergies). After
a couple of years in college my draft number came up so I went out and joined
the U.S. Navy where I was immersed in the bazaar language of governmentese. The Navy has (ahem) boatloads of very passive
phrases and I became (aaaahem) submerged in it.

Fast forward 6
years, one month and 24 days. Honorably discharged from the military I went
back to college and then worked for the U.S. Army at the Deseret Chemical Depot
at an industrial facility dedicated to the research and development of chemical
warfare agents. More . . . much, much more governmentese. Fast forward another
24 years to retirement.

I had a bout with
cancer and my wife had a bicycling accident that left her paralyzed from the
chest down. A normally active life became rather sedate and I bumped around
trying to find something to do. My son suggested I write a book. It was a
suggestion I had toyed with a few times but never took seriously.

For six full
months a stared at a computer writing the worst stuff I could imagine. Fortunately,
my wife has a degree in English and she plowed, blasted and pulverized my story
(and me) until it was readable. After 500,000 words of garbage, loving every
minute of it, I managed to learn the basics. I then joined the League of Utah
Writers to commiserate with other writers. I had no idea there were so many
wordsmiths out there. The next year, 2013, I received first place for the first
chapter in my book, The Singing Stones of Rendor. In 2014 the book received the
leagues coveted Silver Quill Award. That’s when I thought I might actually have
some skill.

How do you schedule your writing time? When do you write?

My schedule revolves mostly around my
wife’s needs. She no longer drives so I take her to her appointments and
watercolor seminars and workshops. When her schedule is clear, I make time in
the afternoon to write for a few hours, unless there are other unscheduled
events like our kids and grandkids dropping in. Family is far more important to
me than pounding out a set number of words.

How and where do you write? Do you prefer a laptop or
some other method of getting your words down?

A small pad of lined yellow paper is my preferred note-taking device.
Weird ideas, metaphors, idioms and a whacky turn of phrase are my favorite ways
to develop a character or scene. If I’m watching TV I listen for those unique
lines of dialogue that in my mind just fun. I realize my ideas of fun may be
outdated, but I’m not writing for anyone but myself. If I’m having a good time,
maybe my readers will too.

My main writing instrument is my
PC. When my wife is in her water coloring
workshops I’m sitting nearby with my laptop.

What's your favorite part about writing? Your
least favorite part about writing?

My favorite part is how the voices
in my head tell me what to write. I can always trust my characters to figure
out how to get something done.

My least favorite is marketing.
However, if you don’t consider that part of writing then I guess it is editing
my work for the umpteenth time and still not satisfied with the details. That’s
when I go looking for some good editors.

How did you come up with your book idea? How long did it
take you to write?

My son suggested a fantasy novel
with an antagonist based on my cancer. The idea evolved into a trilogy that I’m
still working on. It took four and a half years to write and publish the first
book—that includes the learning curve to do creative writing. The second book,
which I hope to publish in late August, took two years.

What types of marketing do you do to promote your
writing?

You may have guessed by now that
I’m a reticent marketer. What marketing I have done is limited to Facebook, my
blog at NWKnudsen.blogspot.com and some online book events. At a recent event,
I met our host, Kathy Jones, at the “Spring Into Books” event at the Viridian
Center in West Jordan, Utah. I’ve spoken to some small press publishing
companies who have expressed interest in the trilogy when it is done. I’ll
probably tuck myself under one of their wings and hope they will guide me in
that arena.

What are you currently working on? Do you have a new book
out?

I’m wrapping up book 2 in the
trilogy. Tentatively titled, “The Call to Empire,” the novel currently stands
at about 110,000 words (about 360 pages) and should be out by late August or
early September. If my muse (wife) and/or my editors say it needs more work it
may take a bit longer.

Yes, I do. It is a
prequel to the series and about half written. It is about the main character in
first chapter of the trilogy, a witch with a particular
skill you don’t see in other fantasy novels. At least none that I’m aware of.
She dies at the end of that chapter. The book is a kind and powerful witch and
the tragedy that turned her to anger and vengeance. It is also about how, even
after death, one’s life can have a great impact on others.

What would you tell a beginning writer who wants to
publish but doesn't believe he/she has enough talent?

Write it for the fun of it. Do it for yourself. Take an idea
and run with it. So what if it doesn’t work, you learn through the process. Do
it again. Don’t be afraid of writing junk. There is plenty of free,
enthusiastic help out there to teach you. Join one or more writing groups. Toss
around your ideas. Let them grow. Don’t worry about all the rules you are going
to hear—that’s what editors are for. I don’t recall who said this, “there are
three ironclad rules to writing, the trouble is, no one knows what they are.”

And, last but not least, develop a thick skin. Listen to the
constructive criticism and toss the rest. The test? Knowing which is which.

My Question for you:

Do you consider
yourself an introvert? Have you ever had trouble promoting yourself and/or your
writing? If so, how did you overcome it?

I'm definitely not an introvert, though I was a pretty shy gal growing up. Once I went to college in my 40s, however, and graduated, I decided that I would do all it took to get my books out there. Sure, I still get nervous speaking in front of groups, but I do it. And you know what? The journey has gotten easier. I can speak about my book in front of writers, readers, non-readers, even people I've just met in line at the supermarket. But this has taken time and a daring sort of attitude.

Monday, August 15, 2016

Believe it or not, I hated writing growing up. I did win a few
writing contests in grade school and was the only one from my grade sent
to a district writing conference, but I never really enjoyed it because I felt
like I was being forced to do it. It wasn’t until I started writing in a
journal regularly in high school that I discovered that putting my thoughts on
paper could be fun and therapeutic. But again, it took me another seven years
after I graduated from college to consider writing a novel. I think it was my
teen students that inspired me to write something they could one day read.

How do you schedule your writing time? When do you write?

I participate in NaNoWriMo each year. It's National Novel
Writing Month and you set a goal with thousands of other people to complete
50,000 words of a new novel. It’s hard to get around 1700 words a day for 30
days straight but I love how it pushes me to complete a novel.

3.How and where do you write? Do you prefer a lap top or some
other method of getting your words down?

I write everywhere! Some people don’t believe me when I tell
them I wrote over half of my last book on my iphone. I have a blue tooth
keyboard and even use the dictation software on my phone to write. I’ve found
that if I use my time that could have been wasted just sitting and waiting, I
get a lot done. When I’m not writing on my phone, I have a laptop that is
well-loved (i.e. super old) that I use in my home office. I’ve also been known
to go to the local library or coffee shop when I don’t want interruptions.

4.What's your favorite part about writing? Your least favorite
part about writing?

My favorite part of writing is living in a new world with characters
I create. I love to write a new character and have them take on a life of their
own. Because I’m a voracious reader too, I enjoy discussing my books with
others and talking about the books like the characters are real people.

As for what I hate, I don’t like that I don’t have more time to
write.

5.How did youcome up with your book idea? How long did it take
you to write your book?

My first book, Remembrandt, came to be because I’ve always loved
the idea of espionage. Honestly, if I would have been gifted enough with
foreign languages, I would have tried to join the CIA. Instead I write about a
teen spy who uses her eidetic memory to solve crimes and rescue stolen pieces
of artwork.

Remembrandt took me about six months to write and then another
six months to revise. It was another 18 months before I found a publisher and
another six months for it to be published. I wrote it in 2012 and have since
completed four other novels and am halfway through a fifth one.

6.What types of marketing do you do to promote your writing?

Teaching and talking about writing is my passion. I go to
schools to discuss writing and being an author. I also use social media and my
website to keep people up to date on what I’m doing. I try and attend 2-3
writing conferences a year and do book signings to get the word out. I wish I
had time to do more.

7.What are you currently working on? Do you have a new book out?

The final book in the Remembrandt series will be released
November 2016 (Book 2 was entitled Van Gogh Gone). The title is Memory of
Monet. It is suspenseful ending to the complicated life of teen spy, Alexandra.

I’m also in the process of obtaining a publisher for the
contemporary fantasy series I’m working on. Once the Remembrandt series is out,
I’ll be able to concentrate on these new novels.

8.Do you have a project on the back burner? Tell me about it.

I started an epic fantasy novel last year that I’m only about
50,000 words into and I’m absolutely in love with the story and characters. I’d
love to finish it and get it into the hands of readers too.

9.What would you tell a beginning writer who wants to publish but
doesn't believe he/she has enough talent?

Anyone can write a story and everyone has some talent that can
make their writing unique. I think the best place to start is to find the story
you are passionate about and get it on paper. Attend some writing conferences
to better your craft and meet people that are in the same boat as you. Form a
writing group to help push and support you.

Because I have published 10, the answer would vary depending on the book. But let's take my mystery series. They are typical who-done-it, but are without the bad language and scenes you wouldn't want your son or daughter reading. The main character, Susan, is middle aged, and sort of drops into her new role as detective - so you can imagine the things that she bungles. All of my books have an egg theme, and this egg theme, relates to the book titles.

Thursday, August 11, 2016

My sister is in town from New York, so guess what? PLAY DAY!No real writing today, except for this small post, but a great day to take in the sights and smells that can be used in my writing tomorrow!Here's to a spectacular day!

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

1.Tell me a little about yourself (where you live,
who you are, what you look like, what you hope to achieve, etc.)

My name is Kyle
Welter. I’m from Midtone City in the Plains Republic in the country of North
America. I’m 5’ 11” with blond hair that always looks like it needs to be cut.
I don’t know why that is. I’m an only child due to financial issues. Kids are
expensive (if you want to believe my parents complaining) and fire talents
aren’t in demand. My dad had a hard enough time finding a job let alone
securing a decent salary. I’m not even sure he uses his talent at work.

Anyway, I have
friends, like my best friend, James, who tell me they wish they were only
children. Ha! His three little sisters are loud and a little crazy but there
are days our house is so quiet. It’s creepy. I’ll bet he never snuck out of his
room at 12 years old in the middle of the day to make sure other people were
still alive in the house.

I’ve
spent an inordinate amount of time around adults. This has fueled fears about
fitting in. My ultimate goal in high school was to blend in. If you couldn’t
pick me out of a crowd and we had class every day together for a year, I
totally nailed it. That blew up in my face this year. Now I just want to get
back to some semblance of that life. Running from murders is great exercise but
terrible for the nerves.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I have
a lot of that lately. But before this whole MAIM garbage, I played video games,
hung out with my friends and watched tv. Nothing spectacular. Although during that
stretch at the beginning of school this year where no one talked to me, I spent
most of my time doing homework and practicing magic.

What is your favorite color and why?

When I
was little, it was purple because the hero on Wizards of the Universe wore this
awesome purple outfit that looked sweet with his golden wand. Since I have
absolutely outgrown that show, I can’t say I have a favorite color.

What is your favorite food? Why is it your favorite?

Lasagna
and breadsticks. Every day. Yep. Sooo good.

What would you say is your biggest quirk?

Well, I
have this nervous habit of running my fingers through my hair. But otherwise,
you don’t understand the effort I went through to never stand out.

What is it about your antagonist that irks you the most,
and why? Share a line in the book where this irk is manifested.

Their
persistence. Of course it helps when you have hundreds of people chasing just
one. One group gets tired or arrested, the next group picks up the chase.

The worry knotted his stomach so much he finally pushed
his plate away and returned to his room. He couldn’t escape the suspense, the
anxiety. He fell into the same groove with questions playing in his mind. The
memories of the dance drowned him. How could he have let this happen? Could he
be anything more than the boy who almost got her killed? His legs felt like
lead. His life had gone from bad to great to worse. What kind of future did he
have in store? Always living in the shadows, trying to keep one step ahead of
MAIM?

“Augh!” he screamed. He
leaned over the chest of drawers and banged his head on it a couple of times.
So this is madness, he thought. How could he free himself? He rubbed his head
and sat on the bed. Sleep. Sleep seemed like his only option. Yet, even as
darkness fell engulfing his room, he lay awake staring at the ceiling. Even if
they saved Jessica now, could they save her again later? Would they even try?
They had a whole world to worry about.”

What or who means the most to you in your life? What, if
anything, would you do to keep him/her/it in your life?

Seriously?
You want me to pick? If I don’t choose Jessica and she reads this, that won’t
be good. James is my best friend. The title alone indicates importance. And
then my parents. They’ve already been through so much. What would I do? It’s
more like “What have I done?” The stitches up here on my head, yeah, that’s
gonna be a pretty scar. I won’t even get into the broken bones.

What one thing would you like readers to know about you
that may not be spelled out in the book in which you inhabit?

I am
awesome at the arcade game Dinosaur Hunt. Not to brag too much, but the top five
scores are all mine. Nobody has beat one of my scores in over two years. That’s
why it’s not the top ten. Someone named JJUHOH4 has spot number six. What? That
isn’t what you meant? Well, I guess then you should know I’m a dog person. I’ve
wanted one since I was five. My parents keep saying a dog is like having
another kid financially so as I’ve stated already, getting one of those is
never going to happen. At least not until I move out and get my own place. Then
I am totally getting a dog.

If you could tell your writer (creator) anything about
yourself that might turn the direction of the plot, what would it be?

Uh, is
it really smart to openly criticize the man who LITERALLY holds my life in his
hands? He’s almost killed me a bunch of times and I didn’t do anything to him!
Telling him his book should have gone in a different direction because I’m a
Democrat and totally would have supported MAIM openly is like picking out my
own coffin. Which I don’t. MAIM is bad. Please don’t kill me.

***

A Question for Me:

Ok, my question to you: Do you love your characters so
much that sometimes you cry about what you are putting them through?

You'd better believe it. In fact, a not too far distant character, Joy, really got me going. I had an ending all picked out, but she had a better one. The only problem? The problem was much larger than the one I'd picked out for her. I didn't want to do it, but in the end, I did. It only made: The Gift: A Parable of the Key, that much better.

I like
reading and going for walks around the city but my favorite thing to do is
cooking.

What is your favorite color and why?

I’d have
to say green because it’s the color of nature and fresh ingredients.

What is your favorite food? Why is it your favorite?

This is
hard to say. I love cooking and I love so many different foods, it would be
impossible to say which one I love more. I love to recreate old dishes and put
my own spin on them.

What would you say is your biggest quirk?

I don’t
like premade or frozen food.

What or who means the most to you in your life? What, if anything, would you do
to keep him/her/it in your life?

My
family is very important to me and I’d be willing to sacrifice my comfort for
them.

What one thing would you like readers to know about you that may not be spelled
out in the book in which you inhabit?

I’d like
readers to know that life goes on after the last line. It’s not the end.

If you could tell your writer (creator) anything about yourself that might turn
the direction of the plot, what would it be?

Patience
is a good thing and the best is worth waiting for.

Ask me any question. I've always wanted to know what a character thinks about
writers like myself. I'll answer the question at the end of this interview.

A Question for Me:

What is the best part of writing?

The best part for me is coming up with a great idea and then having the main character switch things around when I'm writing the book. I like the fact that I don't always know the ending and can experience the story as I'm writing it.

Synopsis:

One city of two million people and only three
months to find her. What are his chances?

Isabel Antunes is content with her life as director of the English Academy in
Lisbon. Then she’s hit by a man on a bike—a man her boss just hired to be her
assistant. Despite Simon Ackerley’s repeated assurances to the contrary, Isabel
believes he’s after her position, but she won’t hand it over without a fight.
As if dealing with him all week is not enough, he shows up at church as well.
Her only solace is in writing to the pen pal she knows as “Elliot”.

Simon Ackerley told his father that he was moving to Lisbon for the job. But
that isn’t the only reason. Simon is looking for Amélie, the pen pal he’s
written for fifteen years. A woman he knows everything about—except her real
name and address.
When the biking accident reveals that Simon’s prickly co-worker Isabel is the
elusive Amélie, he knows he has to win her trust before he can confess his true
identity. If only he could tell her the actual reason why he’s come, he’s sure
Isabel would treat him differently. But she’s not ready for the truth.

Friday, August 5, 2016

It's that time again!If you missed the workshops in Tremonton, you might want to head over to Eagle Mountain tomorrow!Idea Creations Press will be there putting on a workshop entitled:MARKETING CHEAP!And will you learn how to do that!Get registered hereHave a writer friend? Save $5 by signing up together!SEE YOU THERE!Here's a book trailer to give you a little taste of what we'll be talking about at the marketing workshop. Enjoy!

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

I’m a Software Developer in Test which is a fancy way of
saying I write the software that tests the software that is delivered to
customers. I live in Herriman and have been writing since elementary school. My
older sister and I used to come up with elaborate plots together. She
encouraged me to take creative writing when I went to high school. I found a
real talent for poetry but my prose was a bloodbath of grammar and imagery.
Thankfully, time and writing conferences have cured that.

I love to sing and do impressions/accents. I like a lot of
sports – some to watch, others to play. I’m a Green Bay Packers and Utah Jazz
fan. I love to read which also cuts into my writing time. I’ve also taken a
liking to wood working since I released my first book, Kyle by Fire. I’ve gotten into pyrography (wood burning) and I make
wands that I sell at all of my book signings.

My writing time is very hit and
miss. With 5 kids and a wife that likes spending time with me, finding time to
write is not as easy as I would like. More often than not, I write on weekends
and at night. Occasionally, I’ll pound out some words on lunch. This is why my
first two books took so long to publish.

How and where do you write? Do you
prefer a laptop or some other method of getting your words down?

I write on my laptop because I can
type SO MUCH faster than I can hand write and I won’t even go into the
legibility factor. I’m a focus writer so I really need at least an hour of
uninterrupted time to write. I tried writing for just 15 minutes and the result
was a carousal of plot and character. I do take notes and jot
things down if I don’t have time to write but an idea comes to me.

What's your favorite part about
writing? Your least favorite part about writing?

I love getting lost in the story
I’m writing. I outline because otherwise I know my plot would wander. However,
I often have to revise my outline because as I write, my characters surprise me
with what they do. Least favorite is editing. Mostly because going back through
this story I think is awesome and seeing so many mistakes is kind of a downer.
But I know sometimes, all I care about is getting the words down and that
editing will fix the yucky-ness.

How did you come up with your book
idea? How long did it take you to write your book?

When I got back into writing on a
regular basis, it started with a small writing group of friends. We conducted a
round-robin writing challenge where we drew 3 random words and had to write one
to two pages of a story using those words. Of course I procrastinated until the
day we were supposed to trade stories and started a story about a kid who had
to study all summer because he got bad grades the year before. This was the
premise for Kyle by Fire. It took 4
years to finally publish my first book and 3 years to do the second. My wife
has dictated that I don’t have that long to finish book

What types of marketing do you do
to promote your writing?

Mostly author events and a few
group marketing sales. I didn’t write my books with the idea of getting rich. I
just wanted to make them available for people to read. Someday I hope to invest
more time and resources to writing but right now I have family as a priority.

What are you currently working on?
Do you have a new book out?

I just released book 2 of the
Phoenix Cycle Series – Will from Ashes.
I’m currently working on book 3 but have a lot of other projects in progress on
the sidelines waiting for me to finish this story.

Do you have a project on the back burner? Tell me about it.

I have multiple on the back burner.
A story I wrote in high school called The
Mysterious Prince is currently in re-write. It’s a story about the courting
of a princess and one prince who steals her heart. I’m also excited about
another fantasy story about Elves who were driven underground by dwarves. They
concocted a plan for vengeance once they could rebuild their population but
something has gone wrong.

What would you tell a beginning
writer who wants to publish but doesn't believe he/she has enough talent?

Hone your skills.
Attend writing conferences (there are tons in Utah) and join a writing group. I
highly recommend The League of Utah Writers, www.luwriters.org. All of the talent in the world won’t get you
published. Someone with no talent can be taught to write a book well enough to
get published. And even if you are oozing talent, it still takes effort to mold
that talent into something people want to read. Don’t stop writing.

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Kathryn Elizabeth Jones

When I was young I thought I had to sound like a great writer to be one. It was all so overwhelming; now I know I only need to sound like myself. My ideas come from two primary sources. My work might spark from the enlightening words of a friend, teacher or writing prompt. At other times, I am sitting in a very still space and The words I should write come to me like a powerful and glowing wind.